Falcons 2018 potential draft pick profile: DL Taven Bryan

The Atlanta Falcons have needs along the defensive line, but they truly need the key piece at strong-side defensive end and nickel defensive tackle. They need to make sure they get someone who can play that Michael Bennett role better than Adrian Clayborn.

Their best-case scenario for the first round is Florida defensive lineman Taven Bryan, who is an amazing fit for a role as the starting strong-side defensive end and nickel defensive tackle.

Scouting Report

Strengths

For someone with little experience, Bryan is a disruptive pass rusher who can attack from almost any technique in any scheme. His versatility and great athleticism makes his ceiling sky-high. At the line of scrimmage, he’s explosive and shows solid hand usage.

Against the run, he can be truly disruptive when he stays in his gap and ideally fits a one-gap scheme. His frame could also easily add another 10-15 pounds without losing his svelte figure or athleticism. On top of that, he has the ability to bull rush against any pro offensive lineman he faces.

Weaknesses

As one of the younger, less experienced players in the draft, Bryan seemingly has to develop his instincts and sixth sense about the game. His intelligence is there, but he needs to have a second-nature that he just doesn’t have at this time.

He also has zero pass rushing moves and could use time with Bryant Young and Dan Quinn developing those. As a lump of malleable clay, the Falcons will have a lot to work with here, but he’s starting from a lower-point technique-wise than other players in the draft this year.

The Falcons like to have clean prospects, and in this situation, they’d have yet another prospect who hasn’t been arrested nor suspended during his time at Florida or before that. He’s shown leadership despite being a captain as one of the harder working defenders for the Gators.

He’s also shown that he’s one of the more intelligent defenders in college football with how Florida used him in multiple spots on the defensive line. Bryan’s versatility and anger shine on film and those are key attributes that should have him ranked higher than other DL in his class.

Overview

As an attacking, gap-shooting defensive end and tackle, Bryan would instantly be the kind of defender the Falcons covet. His athleticism and overall aggressive mentality makes him the kind of defender that the Falcons have wanted since Quinn took over the team.

His technique needs a bit of refinement, but the Falcons could use him similarly to how Cameron Jordan and Michael Bennett have been used throughout their careers.

How he would fit into the Falcons’ plans

The Falcons definitely could use someone of Bryan’s ilk. He’s easily the best schematic and thematic fit for the Falcons defense.

Bryan’s combine suggests that he could be flying up the draft board to at least the middle of the first round. And honestly, the idea of the Falcons trading up for what could be the missing piece to their defense doesn’t seem like too bad of an idea.